VIENNA, October 31 (RIA Novosti) - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has received an official invitation to monitor the December 2 Russian State Duma elections, an organization spokesman said on Wednesday.

The invitation was received by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw and limits the number of monitors to 70, also placing restrictions on the time allotted to the observers to carry out their work.

The OSCE spokesman commented that during Russia's 2003 parliamentary elections some 500 international observers from 43 countries were sent to Russia.

The December 2 elections are expected to see observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Nordic Council.

Igor Borisov, a Russian Central Election Committee member, said on Wednesday that, "In an age of sophisticated technologies the quality of work virtually has no dependence on the amount of observers at the elections".

He said even 50 professionals could perform the job perfectly.

He also said there was no need to invite "an army of observers," since the Russian electoral system was "one of the most perfect in the world".

He said Russia was open to international society, and added, "We have nothing to hide, that is why we are inviting international observers, despite our opponents expecting that even before the elections Russia will be subject to allegations concerning breaches in international commitments".

A total of eleven parties will run for the lower house of Russia's parliament, the Central Election Commission said on Sunday.

President Putin earlier said he would head the candidate list of the main pro-Kremlin party United Russia at the elections, and that he could become prime minister in 2008 if the party gains a majority.

The decision has widely been seen as a bid to hang onto power upon the expiration of his second, and under the Russian Constitution, final term as president.